Tethered ball with cord lengthening means

ABSTRACT

An amusement device in the form of a light ball fastened to an elastic cord and a hand grip for holding the outer end of the cord and a supply of additional cord. Circular movement of the hand and wrist will cause the ball to swing in a circular or elliptical path and the user attempts to keep the ball moving by hitting it, either with his hand or with a paddle, every time the ball swings toward him.

United States Patent Lemon [4 1 Apr. 11, 1972 54] TETHERED BALL WITH CORD 2,472,075 6/1949 Hole ..46/77 ux LENGTHENING MEANS 3,031,192 4/1962 Bonang ..273/95 A 3,166,317, 1/1965 Tumelson ..273/26 E [72] Inventor: George E. Lemon, 286 Lora Avenue,

Youngstown, Ohio 44504 OTHER PUBLICATIONS [22] Filed: Apr. 23, 1970 Sunday Star, Washington, D. C. 4/ 10/49 Bud Fisher [21] APP]- N04 31,134 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind 52 us. ca. ..273/95 A, 273/26 E, 46/77 Klempay 51 int. Cl. ..A63b69/40 58 Field 61 Search ..273/95 A, 26 E, 58 c; 46/51, [57] ABSTRACT 46/52, 77 An amusement device in the form of a light ball fastened to an elastic cord and a hand grip for holding the outer end of the 5 References Cited cord and a supply of additional cord. Circular movement of the hand and wrist will cause the ball to swing in a circular or UNITED STATES PATENTS elliptical path and the user attempts to keep the ball moi ing 2,547,776 4/1951 Rankin ..273/26 E hand a paddle every 2,561,760 7/1951 Stifter ..46/77 Gaudet ..273/26 E 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented April 11, 1972 t 3,655,190

INVENTOR. GEORGE E. LEMON AGENT TETIIERED BALL WITH CORD LENG'I'E-IENING MEANS This invention relates to an amusement device and more particularly to an amusement device in the form of a tethered ball which may be used either as a game or as a device for developing skill and dexterity.

Various arrangements of tethered ball amusement devices have been previously proposed. However, these devices have found only limited acceptance for several reasons, including: the lack of any means for replenishing the tethering string or cord after it breaks, the tendency of the string to become tangled around the grip; and the lack of any means for adjusting the length of the string or cord.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a tethered ball amusement device which overcomes the objections and disadvantages of the prior devices.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a tethered ball amusement device which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which is highly durable.

The device consists essentially of a hand held grip which provides an anchor point for an elastic cord, a length of elastic cord, and a light weight ball such as a ping pong ball which is attached to the free end of the cord. Circular movement of the hand and wrist will cause the ball to swing in a circular or eliptical path and the user attempts to keep the ball moving by hitting it, either with his hand or with the paddle, every time the ball swings toward him.

For a more complete understanding of the invention and the objects and advantages thereof, reference should be had to the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of the inventron.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the amusement device as it is held in a users hand;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the amusement device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the amusement device of FIG. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a second embodiment of the amusement device of my inventron.

As will be seen from FIG. 1, the amusement device of my invention consists essentially of a hand grip 10, a supply of cord 12, and a light weight ball 14.

The grip consists of a cylindrical body portion 16, preferably of cast plastic, and a pair of arms 18 which project upwardly from opposite ends of the body 16. The arms 18 are preferably of a spring type plastic. A wire 20 is cast into the body portion 16 and extends in a generally angled relationship from one end of a body 16 and in a direction substantially opposite to the arms 18. A portion 22 of the wire 20 is curved to provide a thumb rest and the outer end of the wire 24 is bent in a sinusoidal manner. A tubular sleeve 24 had a tight sliding fit over the bent end portion 24 of the wire 20. It will be understood that while the wire end 24 is shown bent in a sinusoidal manner, other configurations may be used so long as there is a tight fit between the wire end 24 and the sleeve 26 without obstruction of the bore of the sleeve. This sleeve 26 has a smoothly rounded outer end 28 with a hole 30 in the end thereof. A length of string 30 is anchored at one end to the grip 10, threaded through the sleeve 26 and has its free end 34 fastened to a light weight ball 36. The cord or string 32 is preferably elastic cord. The ball 36 may be a ping pong ball or other light weight ball. Any suitable arrangement may be used for attaching the end of the string 34 to the ball 36. One such arrangement is shown in the drawings where a resilent hemispherical shell 38 is provided which is of a diameter which snaps over the ball 36. In this arrangement, the end 34 of the cord 32 is laid in the shell 38 which is then snapped over the ball 36. When greater strength is desired, the string may be threaded from the grip, through the sleeve 26, around the ball 38 and back through to sleeve 26 to a suitable anchor point on the body portion 16 or arm 18 with the midpoint of the string len fastened to the ball 36.

e cord or string 32 may be wound on a spool or bobbin 40 which has a tubular core 42. Elastic thread wound on such bobbins is readily commercially available. The upper ends of the arms 18 of the grip 10 may be provided with facing aligned points 34 which engage the opposite ends of the core 42 to hold the bobbin in place. Preferably, the arms 18 are sprung slightly outwardly by the core 42 so that the core does not rotate freely to hold the end of the cord 32 preventing accidental unwinding thereof. A notch 46 may be provided in the upper end of one of the arms 18 adjacent the wire 20 to guide the thread 32.

FIG. 4 illustrates a somewhat modified form of the invention in which the body portion 50 and arms 52 are cast as a single piece with a downwardly angled projecting leg 54 and a hollow cone-like end 56 which has a small opening 58 at its lower end. Also, in this embodiment the upper ends of the arms 52 has a rounded end portion 60 and spherical washers 62 are provided to engage the ends of the core 42 of the bobbin of cord 40.

With either embodiment, the ball 14 is fastened to the end of the cord with approximately two to three feet of cord being provided between the ball and the end of the sleeve 26 or funnel 56, the exact amount of cord being determined by the user. The wire 20 or leg 54 serves to offset the point at which the cord bends when the ball is being swung from the users hand and arm and thus makes it easier to avoid entangling the cord about the users hand or arm and about the wire leg 20. The sleeve 26 or cone 56 serves both as a guide for the thread and a pivot point therefore and as a shield to prevent tangling of the thread.

When using the device, the user grips the body portion 16 as shown in FIG. 1, and moves the hand and arm in a somewhat circular motion to set the ball swinging in a circular or eliptical arch with the apex at the end of the sleeve 26 or funnel 56. Preferably, the ball is set swinging in an arc of eliptical path with the major axis in front of the user and extending from side to side. The user attempts with his free hand or with a paddle, such as a ping pong paddle, held in his free hand to hit the ball every time it moves toward that hand so that the ball may be kept in motion without moving the hand or wrist which holds the grip 10 once the initial swinging of the ball has been initiated.

It will be understood that various modifications and additions may be made in and to the embodiments of the invention described above. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims in determining the true scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An amusement device, comprising:

a grip having a cylindrical body portion and a pair of arms projecting substantially parallel to one another from opposite ends of the body portion, the length of the body portion being slightly greater than the width of a human hand;

a leg projecting from one end of the body portion of the grip in angled relation to the longitudinal axis thereof;

a hollow tubular guide member secured to the outer end of the leg;

a lightweight ball; and

a length of cord fastened to the ball, extending through the guide member, and secured to one of the arms of the grip.

2. The amusement device according to claim 1 wherein the arms terminate in end portions directed toward one another and further including a supply of additional cord wound on a tubular core, the core being retained between the end portions of the arms.

3. The amusement device according to claim 2 wherein the arms are formed of a resilient material and are forced apart by the core to clampingly engage the core and prevent free rotation thereof. 

1. An amusement device, comprising: a grip having a cylindrical body portion and a pair of arms projecting substantially parallel to one another from opposite ends of the body portion, the length of the body portion being slightly greater than the width Of a human hand; a leg projecting from one end of the body portion of the grip in angled relation to the longitudinal axis thereof; a hollow tubular guide member secured to the outer end of the leg; a lightweight ball; and a length of cord fastened to the ball, extending through the guide member, and secured to one of the arms of the grip.
 2. The amusement device according to claim 1 wherein the arms terminate in end portions directed toward one another and further including a supply of additional cord wound on a tubular core, the core being retained between the end portions of the arms.
 3. The amusement device according to claim 2 wherein the arms are formed of a resilient material and are forced apart by the core to clampingly engage the core and prevent free rotation thereof. 